Self-lifting flatiron



June 16, 1942.

J. KREMER SELF-LIFTING FLATIRON Filed May 9, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet l June 16, 1942. J. KREMER 2,286,284

SELFLIFTING FLATIRON Filed May 9, 193s ,2 sheetssheet 2 malla,

Patented June 16, 1942 UNITED STATES4 PATENT OFFICE'- 12. ('Jlairns.`

This invention relates to fiat irons or sadirons and has for an object to provide -a-stand carried"4 by the ironitself, and which can be loweredandf cause lifting of the iron body to an elevated inoperative non-scorching position out of contact with parts which might be liable to damage from continued contact with the hot iron.

A further object is to provide such a sta-11dE which will in no way interfere with-the normal" use of the iron.

Another object is to provide actuating means for effecting relative motion between the iron and stand which is easy and natural for actuation by the user of the iron, the handle remaining in substantially the same angular relation with the ironbody at all times.

A further object is to provide for automatic lifting of the iron body on removal of the users hand from the handle, but in a manner which will cause no jar or shock to the operator and whereby only slight, easy and smooth pressurey is required to lower the iron into operative condition.

A further object of the invention is to provide a construction whereby when the iron is lowered the stand will be raised at least as high as and" preferably above the lowerV face of the iron, all

in a countinuous easydownward motion of the handle.

A further object is to provide a construction whereby the iron may be lowered and simultaneously slid forward on the work easily and without catching.

Further objects and advantages will appear from a more complete description of certain embodiments of the invention shown in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a side elevation of an iron embodying the invention, the iron being in elevated position relative to its stand.

Figure la is a fragmentary View partly in elevation and partly in section showing a time-controlling device for the lifting action.

Figure 2 is a top plan of the same.

Figure 3 is a longitudinal section on line 3 3 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a view similar. to a portion of Figure 3, but showing the iron lowered to operative position and the stand about to be lifted.

Figure 5 is a view similar to Figure 3, but with the iron in operative position and the standelevated.

Figure 6 is a view similar to Figure 3, but showing a modied construction.

y Figure 7 is aview somewhatsimilarl toFigure 6;4 but showing theiron in operative condition.

Figure 8- is a fragmentaryview-of the construe tions of Figures Bland? partly'inelevation-andi partly in section and showing the iron lifting means.

Referring first to the-construction shown-ini- Figures 1 to 5, atv I'is shown the ironbody-having` xed thereto a casing member 2. As shown thiscasing member comprises a pair of1 spaced? side-.1 plates 3 and an integral'front wall portion l. Be-f tweenrthe side plates 3 isshown pivoted1-the fore wardy ends. of a pair of' links Sandi?, therear end of each of which is pivoted to anarm-'I up standing from an iron supporting standA 8. ThisV stand is provided with a pair ofv feet 9 which-are\ spaced apart to receive the body portion Ithere between and the-forward ends of which are --in turned as at I0- and provi-dedwith upsta-nding ends or horns I I which are adapted to ride'in`=.re

leastv as high as the lower face of the' body-member I., and preferably higher, whereitisout of contact withv theworkwhich is being ironed: 'so'i that it cannot catch therein as the iron is'moved in its normal use. The iron-body isl normally-held` lifted asl by means of a spring 20, one arm" of which is` shown as-resting against an abutment-- block'Z-I adjustably secured to one`- of a pair ofi links 22, the'lower endofeach offwhich-is-pivoted' as at 23 tothe stand 8. Thel links 22'are-pivoted'; at 24 to a second pair of' links-25; thespringlll` being; shown as coiled about the pivot24; The

'upper end of thespring 20 may engage anabutf ment block 2( adjustably. secured. to,` the 1111111.25r

at the opposite end of the '-pivot 24 fromthe. link..

2 2 carrying the block 2|. The springis thus:

spring; also acts aswill bedescribed. Litt1e-.prBS-'- sure is then required to lower the iron body to operative condition.

The upper ends of the links are slotted as at 29 and take over a pin 21 which extends through arcuate slots 28 in the wall members 3. Between the wall members 3 the pin 21 has fixed thereon a bell crank 39 fulcrumed at 300, and one arm of which, as 3|, is pivoted at 32 to an arm 33 secured to a handle member 34. A link 35 is pivoted at one end as at 35 to the arm 33 and at its other end as at 31 between. the plates 3, the link 35 and the arm 3|, together constituting what is substantially a parallel motion connection between the handle 34 and the casing 2 so that the handle 34 is guided for up and down motion rela. tive to the body I. The other arm of the bell crank lever carries a cam roller 40l which bears against an arcuate cam face 4| at the upper end can lift the iron bodily from the work and replace it without releasing the stand for depression into its supporting position shown in Figures 1 and 3, but should the operator release the handle, the outer end of the latch 49 would then by its weight move downwardly into the dotted line position shown in Figure 5, and retract the latch portion 46 from the pin 41, whereupon the spring 20 would then be free to depress the stand from substantially its upper limit of motion where it was kheld by the latch and to lift the iron body into the position shown in Figures 1 and 3.

The action of the spring 20 in lifting the iron is first exerted through a portion of the mechanical advantage mechanism, the spring acting through the lever 3| to lift the handle relative to the iron body until the link 35 strikes the stop pin `350, which may be a rivet securing the of the arm 1, so that when the stand s is in its Y depressed position, holding the iron body lifted, the handle 34 is also held lifted relative tothe iron body by reason of the engagement of the camon the cam face 4| and by the upward pressure of the spring on the fulcrum pin 21. Byexerting downward pressure on the handle 34, however, the handle and the iron body I may be moved downwardly as a unit, the cam roller 40 riding on the cam 4|, preventing relative downwardmotion between the handle and the body portion until the body portion is depressed into contact with the table or other support such as the goods being ironed with its lower face nearly level with the lower face ofthe stand 8, the lower face level being the position shown in Figure 4. Due to vthe narrowness of the feet 9 they may indent `the relatively soft facing of the ironing table or the goods being ironed more than the iron body, so that their lowest position may be a little below the bottom face of the lowered iron body,v so that the lifting of the stand begins while the lower face of the stand is lower than the iron. At this point the cam` roller 40 has ridden off the lower end of the cam face 4| and is being forced in to a depression 42 beneath it by exerting further downward pressure on the handle 34. This downward pressure which moves the handle down relative to the iron body, and forces the roller 40l into the depression 42 acts, through the mechanical advantage multiplying lever mechanism comprising the lever 30 and its connections, to liftthe arm 1, and with it the stand 8, into the position` shown in Figure 5, where the stand is preferably out of contact with the material upon which the iron body rests. The iron, being depressed, is now in operative condition, but to avoid the necessity of the user of the iron exerting downward pressure on the handle to maintain-the iron in operative position, latch means may be provided for this purpose. This means, as shown, comprises a spring latch element 45 having a shoulder 45 adapted to snap in under a". cross pin 41 extending between the side plates 3. This latch member 45 is preferably provided withl a resilient shank portion 48, the upper end of which is securedV to the rear portion of a latch lever, 49.` This latch lever is shown as pivoted asat' 50, as shown, being provided with side plates 5|- between which the handle 34 is positioned.v`

The latch lever 49 forms a lever gripping end porti'oi'i,`the upper portion of which is the handle 34, so that when the ironis in use the user grasps the latch lever as Well as the handle 34 and holds the latch lever' elevated with the latch portion Y46 in latching engagement with the pin 41. With the parts-thus latched together, the user of the i'ror1'7.5

side. members 22 together, after which the spring actsquite directly to lift the iron body and handle together. While the rst portion of the lifting spring action is through a disadvantage leverage, the weight of the handle is the only load, the more direct action being available to lift the heavier weight of the iron body as well as the handle. Because of this direct action there is little friction to be overcome in lifting the iron body and handle so that the spring need be only slightly stronger than necessary to counterbalance the weights of these parts. Under these conditions a very light pressure is all that is necessary to lower the iron body to operative position and lift the stand. The small amount of total motion of the torsion coil of the spring results in only slight pressure increase as the iron body is lowered which is also desirable since it makes for easy action.

In order that the user of the iron may lower the iron body into operative position without any liability of his hand being pinched between the latch lever 49 and the handle 34 as the handle is grasped, means may be provided for holding the latch lever 49 in its latching position when the iron body is lifted to its inoperative position.

For this purpose the rear end of the stand 8 is shown as provided with an upstanding inwardly inclined arm 54 provided with an in-turned hook 55 at its upper end, which, when the iron body is in its lifted position, engages over an oppositely facing hook 56 of an element 51 secured to the rear end of the latch lever 49 so that in the position shown in Figure 3, the hook 56 has been pulled downwardly and the latch lever 49 closed up against the lower face of the handle 34.

` In Figures 6 to 8 is shown a modification. Referring to these iigures, the iron body la has secured thereto the casing 2av having the side wall members 3a. vThe stand which supports the iron body elevated is shown at and it is provided with an upstanding post |0| at its rear end which is slidably guided between pairs of rolls |02, |93 journaled between the side wall members 3a. It is normally urged into its depressed position shown in Figure 6 and with the iron body elevated, and as shown in Figure 8 this may be accomplished by a spring |04 seated within the telescopically related tubular members |95 and |06. This spring may be long relative to the amount of its compression when the iron body and handle are lowered so that its action is relatively constant and even. The member |06 has afoot |01 at its lower end which rests in a depression |88 in the rear end portion of the stand |90. The tubular member |95 has secured thereto a pin |09 which extends through an assegni opening in the adjacentk side plate 3a and is secured to a-camlever |01. The forward end ofthis cam lever- |01 has ridingv thereon a cross pin |08 ina handle memberV |09. This handle member is-rnountedl formovementI up and down relative to the iron body-la and the casing 2a and for this purpose it isprovided with a guide bar |||J which passesdown between two pairs of guide rolls-1 and |'|2. ThisV guide bar ||0 is provided with a slot ||3 therethrough throughwhich the" lever |01 extends. This-lever |01 isfulcrumed at ||5 on an` arm ||6 fulcrumed at ||1 between the plates-3a. At its lower end it-carriesa roller |`|8A which mayride on the forward face ofthe post ||and when the post |0| is-inits elevated position, shown in Figure 7, with the iron body depressed andthe stand |00 raised, it may extend into an opening |20 through this post, this roller reaching the opening |20- by the time the iron body reaches its full depressed position and before-the stand |00 has-been-raised. This permits -the arm |16V to swing to the right, the lower end of the bar H0 engaging avroller ||`4 journaled on the arm H6 forcing the arm to do this (see Figure 7), whereupon a roller nose element |2| on the lever |01 is thrown into-a perforation |22 through-the post |0|, andY engages beneath-the upper edge ofthis-perforation. Depression ofthe handle |09 relative to theiron body then rocks the lever |01 about its-fulcrum and pries the post |0| upwardly, thus lifting the stand |00 into the position shown in Fig-ure 7. The spring |04 acting on the pin |06 acts to lift the handle |09Y relative to the iron body la as well as to lift the iron bodyf` itself, and the riding of the roller |2| of the lever |01 against the` forward face of the post |0| prevents the handle from moving downwardly relatively to the iron body until after the iron body has been moved down to its operative position where the nose end of the lever |01 can pass into the opening |22. Thereafter, further downward motion of the handle acts to lift the stand |00 as previously described. Latch means` maybe provided for holding the iron body 'la in operative downward position, and, as-shown in Figure 8, this comprises a pivoted latch arm |25 having a hooked portion |26 which may be engaged beneath the xed pin |21- carried by one of the side frame members 3a. Belowthe hook |26 the latch memberv |25 has aninclined` cam face |28l which rides along the locking pin |21 so as to lead'theguide pin tothe hookY |26 when the handle is depressed. The upper end of this latcharm |25 is shownas fixed to a rock shaft |30 and within the handle |09 this rock shaft has fixed thereto a latch actuating arm |3|- which extends out through the hole |32 of the handle |09 and at the forward end of whichit may be provided with an actuating head |33. The iron being in operative position and there held bythe hook |26` engaging beneath the pin |21, it is only necessary for the operator to lift the head |33 slightly tor release the latch andpermit the spring |04 to depress the stand |00 andv to lift the iron body la. It will be noted that with this mechanism the. removal of the users hand from the handle is ynot eiective to cause the iron to be lifted, but a releasing action'must be given to the head |33.

This modification also differs from that previously describedk in its slidable guiding of thel stand. and the handle relative to the iron body rather. thanV employing pivotal links as in they construction first described. In both construcsoY1 rol

moving downwardlyI relative to the ironbody untill the'iron bod-y is in itsloperative position, whereupon the handle is released for a further downward motion which is effective to lift the stand,"- and inboth constructions the parts are so related that: a continuous' downward motion.. of the handle is effective rst to lower the iron body and then to lift the stand,` the lifting of the stand being. accomplished through a mechanical advantage mechanism which further compresses the iron-lifting spring, but under` apressure which is not substantially different from that necessary to depress the iron body itself.` It will be Anotedthat the weight of the iron body opposes the spring during the rst-part-only of the downwardvmotion ofthe handle, and' that this aid to the depressing-V actionis not effective when the stand is. raised above the iron, the weight of the stand being then aload in addition to the pressure of the spring. The multiplying lever mechanismi's thus employed to make up not only for this decrease of effective weight opposing the spring, but valso the additional load of lifting the stand. Thus a substantially continuous smooth downward motion ofthe handle accomplishes both the lowering of.` the iron body and the lifting of the stand and-withoutshock or jar to the hand ofthe user.

If desired the lifting of the iron, whether accomplished automatically, or by manual release, may be time-controlled so as to' be'appreciably retardedor delayed, thus toV avoidV sudden motionof the iron body on removal of the-users hands, which-mightnot only` be unpleasant' for the user, but might in some cases tend to upset the iron.l Such time control may also be employedl in place of a latch, so that downward pressure ofthe usershand is required` to maintain-the iron lowered, a substantial time of release of this pressure, for, say, somewhat more thanl a second, resulting in the lifting of the iron.v ItV should not prevent the quick return ofv theiron to lowered' position atany time. Re'- ferring to Figure la, the time control is illustrated as essentially acne-way acting dash pot comprisfrom the cylinder, anda needle valve |53 which providesfor'an adjustably slow entrance'of air. As shown, the cylinder |5|fis pivoted as at 50 to the handle 34, and the piston'is pivoted to one ofv the links 22, so that the handle may bedea pressed and the st'and lifted without substantial obstruction, the air escaping from the cylinder' through thev check valve aswell asl the needle valve, but when the'handle is released, the air can enter the cylinder past the needle valve only atta slow rate predetrmined'byA the setting of the needle` of thisvalve.

From the foregoing description of certain embodiments of thisinvention, it should be evident to those skilled in the art that various changes f andmodifications may be made without departing from the spirit or scope of this-invention as defined by the appended claims.

Iclaim:

1. AV device of the class described, comprising abody member, a handle, a stand, means supporting said handle and stand for up and down motion relative to' said body member, at one limit of motion said stand b'eingbelow' said body member and at the otherl limit being at least ashigh tions, howeven. the: handle is preventedfroml'z'ti as' the-base`- of said body member, said handle' supporting means including connections maintaining said handle in substantial parallel positions with respect to said body member, connections between said handle and stand for raising said stand relative to said body member on depression of said handle relative to said body portion, and means normally holding said body member elevated with relation to said stand and said handle portion elevated with relation to said body member in which condition said stand supports said body member lifted in non-scorching position.

2. A device of the class described, comprising a body member, a handle, a stand, means supporting said handle and stand for up and down motion relative to said body member, in one limit of motion said stand being below said body member and the other limit being at least as high as the base of said body member, connections between said handle and stand for raising said stand relative to said body member on depression of said handle relative to said body member, means normally holding said body member elevated with relation to said stand and said handle portion elevated with relation to said body member in which condition said stand supports said body member lifted in non-scorching position, and means for retarding the elevation of said body member from its lowered position to a predetermined rate.

3. A device of the class described, comprising a body member, a handle, a stand, means supporting said handle and stand for up and down motion relative to said body member, at one limit of motion said stand being below said body member and at the other limit being at least as high as the base of said body member, said handle supporting means including connections maintaining said handle in substantial parallel positions with respect to said body member, connections between said handle and stand for raising said stand relative to said body member on depression of said handle relative to said body member, means for preventing downward motion of said handle relative to said body member until said' body member has been lowered, and means normally holding said body member elevated with relation to said stand and said handle portion elevated with relation to said body member in which condition said stand supports said body member lifted in non-scorching position.

4. A device of the class described, comprising a body member, a handle, a stand, means supporting said handle and stand for up and down motion relative to said body member, at one limit of motion said stand being below said body member and at the other limit being at least as high as the base of said body member, connections between said handle and stand for raising said stand relative to said body member on depression of said handle relative to said body member, means for preventing downward motion of said handle relative to said body member until said body member has been lowered, means normally holding said body member elevated with relation to said stand and said handle portion elevated with relation to said body member in which condition said stand supports said body member lifted in non-scorching position, and means for retarding the lifting of said body member from its lowered position to -a predetermined rate.

5. A device of the class described, comprising an iron body member, a stand carried by said body member for up and down motion relative to saidV body member between limits at one of which said stand supports said body member in lifted non-scorching position and at the other of which the said stand is elevated above the lower face of said body member, spring means normally holding said stand depressed and said body member lifted, a handle member carried by said bOdy member for up and down motion relative to said body member and restricted to substantiallyr parallel positions with respect to said body member, and means including a mechanical advantage mechanism actuated by depression of said handle member relative to said body member after said body member has been substantially depressed for forcing said stand to its upper limit of motion against the action of said spring means.

6. -A device of the class described, comprising an iron body member, a stand carried by said body member for up and down motion relative to said body member between limits at one of which said stand supports said body member in lifted non-scorching position and at the other of which the said stand is elevated above the lower face of said body member, spring means normally holding said stand depressed and said body member lifted, a handle member carried by said body member for up and down motion relative to said body member while maintained in substantially parallel position relative thereto, means including a mechanical advantage mechanism actuated by depression of said handle member relative to said body member after said body member has been substantially depressed for forcing said stand to its upper limit of motion against the action of said spring means, and latch means for holding said stand at its upper limit of motion, said mechanical advantage mechanism being so proportioned that a continuous substantially smooth downward motion of said handle is effective to lower said body member to operative position and then to lift said stand relative thereto.

7. A device of the class described, comprising an iron body member, a stand carried by said body member for up and down motion relative to said body member between limits at one of which said stand supports said body member in lifted non-scorching position and at the other of which the said stand is elevated above the lower face of said body member, spring means normally holding said stand depressed and said body member lifted, a handle, means supporting said handle for up and down motion While maintained in substantial parallel positions with respect to said body member, means actuated by depression of said handle relative to said body member after said body member has been substantially depressed for lifting said stand to its upper limit of motion, and latch means for holding said Stand at substantially its upper limit of motion, said latch means including an element movable with said handle relative to said body member beneath said handle and biased to a latch-released position spaced from said handle and normally held by a hand grasping said handle in latched position.

8. A'device of the class described, comprising an iron body member, a stand carried by said body `member for up and down motion relative to said body member between limits at one of which said stand supports said body member in lifted non-scorching position and at the other of which the said stand is elevated above the lower face of said body member, spring means normally holding said stand depressed and said body member lifted, a handle member, means supporting said handle member for up and down motion while maintained in substantial parallel positions with respect to said body member, latch means for holding said stand at substantially its upper limit of motion, a latch controlling element extending along a portion of said handle member, and means holding said element adjacent to said handle member in the raised body member position, whereby the hand of the user is protected from being pinched between said element and said handle member.

9. A device of the class described, comprising a body member, a handle, a stand, means supporting said stand and said handle for motion relative to said body member, at one limit of motion said stand extending below said body member and at the other limit being at least as high as the base of said body member, means tending to hold said stand at said one limit and to return it thereto on removal therefrom, connections from said handle for moving said stand to said other limit, and means to retard the return movement of said stand to said one limit to a predetermined rate.

10. A device of the class described, comprising an iron body member, a stand carried by said body member for up and down motion relative to said body member between limits at one of which said stand supports said body member in lifted non-scorching position and at the other of which said body member is lowered and the lower face of said stand is at least as high as the lower face of said body member, a handle movably mounted with respect to said body member, a lever connected to said handle and fulcrumed on said body member, and a spring reacting between said stand and said lever between its fulcrum and saidI handle, said stand having a cam portion slidable relative to and in engagement with a portion of said lever and preventing rocking of said lever except when said body member is in substantially its lowered position, said lever and stand including parts cooperating when said body member is in said lowered position to cause swinging of said lever by motion of said handle relative to said body member to lift said stand.

11. A device of lthe class described, comprising an iron body member, a stand carried by said body member for up and down motion relative to said body member between limits at one of which said stand supports said body member in lifted non-scorching position and at the other of which said body member is lowered and the lower face of said stand is at least as high as the lower face of said iron body, a handle movable relative to said body member and connected to said stand through a mechanical advantage mechanism to cause motion in one direction of said handle relative to said iron body to lift said stand, and a spring reacting between said mechanism and said stand, said device including v means causing the first portion of the spring action on release of said iron body to return said handle relative to said iron body to permit lowering of said stand and the remainder of its motion to act independently of said mechanism to lift said iron body and handle as a unit relative to said stand. l

12. A device of the class described, comprising an iron body member, a stand carried by said body member for up and down motion relative to said body member between limits at oneof which said stand supports said body member in lifted non-scorching position and at the other of which said body member is lowered and the lower face of said stand is at least as high as the lower face of said iron body member, a handle movable relative to said body member and connected to said stand through a mechanical advantage mechanism to cause motion in one direction of said handle relative to said iron body member to lift said stand, a spring reacting between said mechanism and said stand tending to lift said handle and body member relative to said stand, and abutment mechanism limiting the motion of said handle relative to said body member andr causing further action of said spring after such limit has been reached to raise said body member relative to said stand.

JOHN KREMER. 

